October 14, 2009

This is probably the most fun you will ever have with packing peanuts. I say that after spending last night trying to clean up an entire box of them that had spilled in the garage. unfortunately for me the garage door was open and we were having a wind storm here. (I was cursing my husband for still being gone about that moment. LOL)

So here's how I made this ghastly looking BRAIN! (...that's if I recall correctly because it was last year that I came up with this!)

start with a box of *REAL* styrofoam packing peanuts. not the ones that dissolve in water. if you aren't sure, let the dog lick it ;) the dissolving ones will stick to his tongue and turn to goo. (See, Auggie is good for something!)

a bottle of Aleene's tacky gluean old knee high nylonsome stuffing from a pillow you planned to toss but saved anyway ;) grey, white and red craft painta 1" artist paint brush (bristles to get into the cracks! a foam brush won't cut it)

Stuff reused stuffing into nylon and form into an oblong "brain" sorta shape. knot off the end. Working in sections cover outside of nylon with Aleene's tacky glue. add peanuts to surface and complete the bottom hemisphere of your brain. let dry slightly so peanuts don't fall off when you flip it over to do the top side. it take a little patience. let dry overnight. now using a box knife carve the crevice that creates the left/right side of brain. paint. drizzle with red paint for "blood". (I think I used some glossy accents over this so it looked wet.

If you have one of those great apothecary jars sitting around your house now its the time to take the fake fruit out and let it be useful for something other than collecting dust! make a pillow for it out of some red velvet (or if you are lazy just wrap it around some of that extra stuffing you have and pin the back with a safety pin) and Voila! Your brain in a jar! and if you are having the week that I am ,then having your brain in a jar is a GOOD THING! 'cause then at least you know where you left it! ;)